On the way to Stonehenge...

Our trip to Stonehenge was always going to be a touristy ride (stop and look at interesting sights), but I didn't expect it to take 3-4 hours (for a 1 1/2 hour drive).

The first thing we noticed was a huge traffic jam. The traffic was nearly stopped and we could see clouds of smoke coming from somewhere way in front. Cam thought it was a steam train/engine, and when we got close enough, we saw not one, but two steam tractors on the road in front of us. Of course, we had to stop and take photos.

Our next little stop was to have a look at a canal with locks to open the gates and alter the water levels to let boats move up and down the canal. It was only going to be a quick stop, but there was a canal boat coming, so Cameron and Matthew decided to 

help open the gates. Very interesting watching how it all works.

Well, the boat was in the big pond, so we left. Next stop: lunch. We stopped at a great little pub in a village and ordered drinks. Cameron picked a menu up off the bar, that said 5 pounds for one course, 6.50 for two. I ordered cottage pie from this and the barmaid said it was a menu for old age pensioners. Never mind, I got a beautiful fruit crumble for dessert, whilst Cam and Matt just had the normal menu (with no dessert).

So then it was straight down to Stonehenge, which had a huge fence around it, and would have cost  20 pounds for the three of us to go in (and you need to follow the path to walk around the stones, but not go too close). So we took our photo from outside, and kept going.

The traffic was bumper to bumper going the other way, so we pulled up and tried to ring some friends, but couldn't get through. Got through to Nicki, and she suggested going to Avebury.

What a great place that was. We went through a cottage where each room was set up in a different era (all rooms were interactive, you could touch everything, sit in chairs, play billiards or embroider fabric, even lie in the beds). They also have the largest stone circle in Europe, and you are able to walk through the fields, up and down the large ditches (barrows) and touch the stones. Best of all, it was a National Trust site, and free to members (us).

Our only complaint was that it rained, and we were miles from the car, so we all got wet. A small price to pay for such a good day.